William Erwin[1] was born in Augusta County, Virginia, 22 Oct 1764,[2] possible the son of Jared and Elizabeth Erwin.[3] He died in Green Co KY 19 Jan 1840.[4]

On 7 Jul 1785 in Augusta Co VA,[5] William married Susannah Curry. She was born in Augusta Co VA 2 Aug 1762 and died in Green Co KY on 27 Feb 1827.[6] Susannah was the daughter of James and Rebecca (Warwick) Curry.[7]

On 22 Oct 1793, William Erwin sold tract of land in Pendleton Co VA to James Hutchinson.[8] He 1801 he purchased land in Green Co KY.[9] The grantor of this land was the future father-in-law of William’s son, William Jr. In 1808, he purchased more land, this time from Morgan Bryan, also related to the family of Sarah Forbis, who married William Jr.[10] William Erwin appeared on an 1813 tax list in Green County. He may have been in Kentucky by 1800 or even earlier.

A big part of the life of the Erwin family centered around the Little Barren Baptist Church. They appear on a members’ list in 1815, and most if not all of their nine children also belonged: James, William Jr, Robert, Susannah, Nancy, Elizabeth, John, Rebecca, and Alexander.[11] Members who joined 10 Feb 1815: William Erwin Sr (trustee), William Erwin Jr (trustee), Susanna Erwin, Robert Erwin, Sally Erwin [Robert’s wife]. The minutes mention a dispute at Erwin’s mill. They apparently had a grist mill on Little Barren River. These notes are from Loen Kidd, who wrote that “Name spelled Erwin every place William was listed as clerk, but Irvin, Irwin in other places.” When the church disbanded in 1840, also mentioned were Joel, Liberty G and Phoebe Erwin. William Erwin Jr was involved in a dispute occasioned by the church split; he kept the church minutes and would not give them to the other group.

The children of William and Susannah were:

1. James ERWIN[12] was born on 22 May 1787 in Augusta Co VA[13] and died in Lawrence Co Indiana on 29 Oct 1854. On 19 Feb 1817 when James was 29, he married Betsy BOTKIN. Born on 10 Mar 1791 in Harrison Co KY, Betsy died in Indiana on 29 May 1854. They had three known daughters:

i. Euphama Jane (1817-1862)

ii. Susannah C (1823-1825)

iii. Amanda Mary Frances (1825-1861)

2. William ERWINJr was born on 5 Jan 1789 in Augusta Co VA. William died in Green Co KY, after 22 Feb 1841. On 13 Jul 1812 when William was 23, he first married Sarah FORBIS, daughter of James FORBIS Jr & Phoebe BRYAN, in Green Co KY. Born in 1792 in Green Co KY. Sarah died in Green Co KY, in 1822/1826; she was 30. They had the following children:

i. Phoebe (1813-)

ii. Susan (1815-1893)

iii. Liberty Green (1817-)

iv. Willis (1819-)

v. Joel (1821-1877)

On 6 Nov 1826 when William was 37, he second married Ann FORBIS, daughter of James FORBIS Jr & Phoebe BRYAN and sister of his first wife, in Green Co KY.

3. Robert ERWIN was born on 5 Dec 1791 in Augusta Co VA. He died in Green Co KY, in 1853. On 25 Mar 1814 Robert first married Sally GREER in Green Co KY. They had one known child:

i. Benjamin (1816-1856)

On 31 Jan 1824 when Robert was 32, he second married Elizabeth SLINKER in Green Co KY. Born in 1807 in KY. They had the following children:

ii. Warren (ca1832-ca1863)

iii. Drucilla (ca1833-)

iv. Elizabeth (ca1837-)

v. Mary F (ca1839-)

vi. Robert (ca1841-1862)

vii. Nancy

viii. Julia Ann

4. Susannah ERWIN was born on 5 Oct 1793 in Augusta Co VA. Susannah died in Barren Co KY, on 8 Jun 1851. On 19 Jun 1810 when Susannah was 16, she married Peter BUNNELL in Green Co KY. Peter married as his second wife Harriet M Harlow, 23 Feb 1852. Born on 15 Jan 1784 in VA, Peter died in Hart Co KY, on 18 Jan 1868. They had one known child:

i. Elizabeth (>1814-)

5. Nancy ERWIN was born on 5 Dec 1795 in Augusta Co VA. She died in Green Co KY, before 12 Feb 1841. Nancy married Moses FORBIS, son of James FORBIS Jr & Phoebe BRYAN and brother of the two wives of William Erwin Jr, in Green Co KY. They had the following children:

i. Wesley (ca1817-)

ii. James Shadrack (ca1819-)

iii. Tabitha (ca1821-)

iv. Mary C (1823-1890)

v. Susan C (ca1826-1885)

vi. Martha L

6. Elizabeth ERWIN was born on 1 Oct 1798 in Augusta Co VA. She was living in 1850 in Barren Co KY. Elizabeth married Richmond ROBERTSON. Genforum has this: Richmond Robertson born in 1802 married Elizabeth Erwin 19 Oct 1827 Green Co KY. Their son James Marion Robertson was born in 1835 and married 13 Nov 1859 to Mary Ann Jewell. Richmond owned land in Barren Co KY and bought land from Reubin Robertson 7 Mar 1834. There was a Richmond Robertson in the 1840 census in Barren Co KY. One source said Nancy Erwin, d/o William and Susannah (Curry) married Richmond Robertson, probably a mistake. James Robertson was mentioned in the Little Barren River Church records.

7. John Jefferson ERWIN was born on 7 Feb 1801 in KY. He died in Iowa after 1850. On 21 Aug 1824, he married Nancy TRENT in Green Co KY. Born on 10 Mar 1803 in Hawkins Co TN or KY, she died before 1840. Their only known child was:

i. James Jasper (1825)

8. Rebecca ERWIN was born on 2 Apr 1805 in Green Co KY. She died in Green Co KY, on 3 Mar 1871. On 20 Apr 1823, she married Green Berry FORBIS, son of Morgan FORBIS & Margaret LOGAN, and a cousin of Rebecca’s sisters- and brother-in-law, in Green Co KY. Born on 13 Feb 1800 in Green Co KY, Green Berry died in Green Co KY, on 30 May 1875. They had the following children:

i. Amanda (ca 1825)

ii. William F (ca 1827)

iii. Rebecca Susannah (1828)

iv. Emaline (ca 1831)

v. Green Berry (ca 184)

vi. Newberry C (ca 1839)

vii. Frances Catherine (ca 1843)

viii. James (ca 1845)

9. Alexander ERWIN was born on 17 Oct 1807. On 30 Mar 1831 Alexander married Sally LILE, daughter of William Wood LILE. No children are known by this writer.

[1] The surname is spelled Erwin, Ervin, Irwin, Irvin, Irvine, Earwin, and probably other variations I have not seen.

[2] Erwin-Bunnell Family Bible, extract posted by Bob Kaufman, 11 May 1999, Erwin Family Genealogy Forum, <http://genforum.genealogy.com/erwin/messages/360.html&gt;, downloaded by Kathy Patterson, 11 May 1999. Bob wrote, “ I have a photocopy of the Erwin-Bunnell Family Bible. It shows the following births. No places are mentioned. Susanna Erwin b. 2 Aug 1762; William Erwin b. 22 Oct 1764; The following is the names and births of their children: James Erwin b. 22 May 1787; William Erwin b. 5 Jan 1789; Robert Erwin b. 5 Dec 1791; Susanna Erwin b. 5 Oct 1793; Nancy Erwin b. 5 Dec 1795; Elizabeth Erwin b. 1 Oct 1798; John Erwin b. 7 Feb 1801; Rebecca Erwin b. 2 Apr 1805; Alexander Erwin b. 17 Oct 1807; Several Bunnell births and deaths follow. Also listed under deaths are the following entries: ‘Susanna Erwin died the 5th of February 1827.’ ‘William Erwin died the 19th of January 1840.’ The birth entries of all the Erwins and the death entry for Susannah Erwin appear to be written by the same hand. The death entry for William Erwin was definitely written by a different person, but it appears immediately under the entry for Susanna. I assumed that this entry was for William Sr, but that could be an incorrect assumption.”

[3] Jared may be a son of Edward and Frances Erwin. See Chalkley’s Chronicles Vol 3, p 560: Augusta County Deed Book No. 23 p 100: 16th Sep 1779. James Clemons and Florah ( ) to Jared Erwin, of Rockingham County, on Cowpasture, patented to George Wilson, 15 Dec 1758.

James Forbis, Sr. and wife, Hannah to William Irvin–6 shillings–part of a 186 acre tract assigned to James Forbis by Alexander Vance and granted to him by patent in 1799, including a spring known by Forbises Mill seat in Green County on the west side of Little Barron [sic] Rvier,– 18 acres. Signed: James Forbis, Hannah Forbis; Wit: John McDonnald, John McClure, Morgas Forbis, John Greenstreet.

Green County SCT: Proven by John McDonnell, John McClure, John Greenstreet; Recorded 21 July, 1801 by James Allen, CGC.”

[10]Green Co KY Deed Books. 5:318-320. Land transferred from Morgan Forbis to William Erwin, May 1808, recorded 3 May 1808 (p 56).

[11]Sulphur Well History, compiled by Sulphur Well Homemakers. “William Erwin was a herb doctor. The next five generations of Erwins have settled within a few miles of Sulphur Well. The list of six generations of William Erwin Sr are on file in the Green County Library, Greensburg, KY.

Compilation of articles appearing in the Indianapolis Sunday Star 1926-1933. PDF sent by Jan T. 3/27/ 2004: title page, p.30, p. 104: “James Erwin b. May 22, 1787; m. Betsy Botkin Feb 19, 1817. His father, William Erwin…lived Little Barron, Green Co KY Aug 3, 1826. [This date is unclear, not the death of William Erwin Sr. KP] His wife was Susannah Currey, the surname traditional, but a d/o James Erwin was named Susanna Curry Erwin, and daughters of James and Betty Erwin have spoken of an Aunt Polly Curry. James Erwin came to IN about 1818, Lawrence Co. Letters from the Botkin family are signed Martha Lewis, Letitia Botkin and William Botkin. They seem to have settled near Indianapolis and in northern Indiana and gotten lost from the rest of the family. The Erwin Bible gives: Marshall Botkin d. Feb 6, 1818; Polly Jourden d. Jul 13, 1818; Susanna Erwin d. Feb 6, 1827; Euphania Botkin d. Jul 6, 1827; Betsey Erwin, wife of James, d. May 29, 1854…”

Hi! I think that we may share some common ancestors. Do you have anything on siblings of William Erwin Sr.? My tree shows alot of inter-marrying between the Erwins and Currys and they also were in Augusta, W.Va. Has a James Amzee Curry shown up in your research? A descendant of his, ancestor of mine, was J. Amzee Erwin b. early 1800’s supposedly in Kentucky but I haven’t found the link there. I’m wondering if William may have gone to Kentucky w/ his brother.

I have used Genforum for this family, as well as Chalkley, Lyman: Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish settlement in Virginia, Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County 1745-1800. Other researchers have suggested Alexander, Elizabeth, Nancy or Agnes, George, Mary, and John as siblings and Jared and Elizabeth (–?–) Erwin as the parents. What do you have?

I am a decendant of Jane Erwin and George Dougherty. I don’t know much about them and any help would be greatly appreciated. Lavina

On March 12, 2009 at 8:16 pm Laten Bechtel said:

I just read the comment from Deb Lennon. I have some information for you. I do know the lineage for Amzi Erwin. My email is becht@cfw.com

I have done considerable work on the Edward Erwin family of Augusta Co. I have found no connection of Jared to Edward and Frances Erwin. Also I have not found any evidence that William that married [Susannah] Curry is a son of Jared. Would love to discuss your documentation for this.

I have only the opinions of others, especially at Genforum, who have done more Erwin research than I have. Please help me express correctly this possibility. Or should I delete it entirely and say “nothing known about his parentage”?

My Family comes through Euphama Jane Erwin daughter of James Erwin and Elizabeth “Betsy” Botkin. Euphama Jane married married Isaac Holman Scoggan and they lived out their lives near Bedford, Indiana. They are buried in the Scoggan Family Cemetery a few miles south of Bedford.

I am a descendant of Peter Bunnell and Susanna Erwin. You said that you have the Bunnell-Erwin Bible with some Bunnell birth and death dates. Is there a copy or transcription of that information that you could pass to me at bunnellfamily@yahoo.com?

It is Bob Kaufman who has the Bible record, not me.
It generally takes a new reader to identify weaknesses in composition. I say this as a linguist and English teacher. I have edited the footnote, usually appropriate quotation marks.
This is how it reads now:
Erwin-Bunnell Family Bible, extract posted by Bob Kaufman, 11 May 1999, Erwin Family Genealogy Forum, , downloaded by Kathy Patterson, 11 May 1999. Bob wrote, “ I have a photocopy of the Erwin-Bunnell Family Bible. It shows the following births. No places are mentioned. Susanna Erwin b. 2 Aug 1762; William Erwin b. 22 Oct 1764; The following is the names and births of their children: James Erwin b. 22 May 1787; William Erwin b. 5 Jan 1789; Robert Erwin b. 5 Dec 1791; Susanna Erwin b. 5 Oct 1793; Nancy Erwin b. 5 Dec 1795; Elizabeth Erwin b. 1 Oct 1798; John Erwin b. 7 Feb 1801; Rebecca Erwin b. 2 Apr 1805; Alexander Erwin b. 17 Oct 1807; Several Bunnell births and deaths follow. Also listed under deaths are the following entries: ‘Susanna Erwin died the 5th of February 1827.’ ‘William Erwin died the 19th of January 1840.’ The birth entries of all the Erwins and the death entry for Susannah Erwin appear to be written by the same hand. The death entry for William Erwin was definitely written by a different person, but it appears immediately under the entry for Susanna. I assumed that this entry was for William Sr, but that could be an incorrect assumption.”

I’m looking for any ancestral, family and/or descendant information on a William Irvine/Irvin/Ervin (bc 1780; d bef 1834?) who supposedly lived in then-Montgomery (present-day Floyd), but who may have been born in Bedford or Campbell Co., VA c 1780. We know that he at least had two daughters (Mary and Elizabeth) as there are Montgomery Co. (later Floyd Co.) marriage records for both of them.

As for his marriage, it was to a Freelove Boothe (b1789; NY?) in 1806, in Montgomery Co., VA, whose family had moved to Montgomery Co in the late 1780s, or 1790s. From this marriage, we know he had two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, but according to the 1810 census, he also had at least one son (bc 1806-10?).

Concerning his oldest daughter, Mary Irvine (Jan 7, 1808 – Nov 15, 1880), she married a William Spangler (1792 – 1862) of then-Montgomery Co. on Sept. 8, 1828, and they resided there for the remainder of their lives.

As for the younger daughter, Elizabeth Irvine (bc 1809; dc 188?), she married an Andrew Reed (bc 1795 to 1800; dc 1854/55?) in then-Montgomery (present-day Floyd Coo., VA on Dec. 27, 1827. They apparently had several children and lived early on along the Beaver Creek area of present-day Floyd Co, but later in and around the town of Floyd and/or the eastern portion of Floyd Co., VA. They apparently remained in this area until at least 1854/55, when Andrew “apparently” died. His death is based on his absence from the Floyd Co. Tax records beyond 1854,the fact that his wife (Elizabeth) is listed as the head-of- the-household in the Floyd Co 1860 census, as well as the note that states Elizabeth was a “widow” at the time of her 2nd marriage in Floyd Co., VA in 1861 (to a James Greer). Elizabeth’s second husband apparently died in the early 1870s, and Elizabeth, herself, apparently continued living in Floyd Co. for most, if not all of the rest of her life, until her apparent death during the 1880’s or 1890’s, although we have yet to confirm the date. All we know that is that she was absent from the Floyd Co 1890 census, and that she may have spent her final years with her eldest daughter in Franklin Co., as she was not listed in the Floyd Co death records that I’ve seen to date. Although Virginia counties were not required to keep vital records from 1896-1912, the fact tthat she would have been c 86 years old by then leads me to think that she had died by then. So if she weren’t listed in the pre-1896 Floyd Co death records, then she likely died in another county (and tha was likely Franklin).

Any additional information concerning the above William Irvine (bc 1780; Campbell Co? Bedford Co.? Botetourt Co. or Montgomery Co., VA?), the names of his parents and/or siblings, his other children, where he (or his parents, etc.) migrated from prior to arriving in Montgomery Co (present-day Floyd Co.),VA, the time and place of his death (c 1830? VA?)would be very much appreciated.

Am curious abt this Irvin/Erwin,all this sounds like the Long Glade bunch, the 3 Neds, and all the various Curry women they must tie in someplace, I am part. looking intop a “Frances” (male) Irvin/Irwin who may be connected to the Long Glade crowd.MAC